


Package Deal

by Texan_Red_Rose



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Animal!Grimm, F/F, Fluff, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-09-28 09:42:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17180570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Texan_Red_Rose/pseuds/Texan_Red_Rose
Summary: Yang's traveled a long way to find the fabled kingdom of the Ice Queen, where Grimm are revered rather than hunted, and she carries precious cargo with her. But the ruler of this dangerous kingdom is not as she appears.





	Package Deal

An ice cold wind whipped across the mountains, strong enough that she nearly stumbled where she stood before the gates carved from rock and ice. Beyond that stood a giant castle, all seemingly made of the same material and glimmering in the moonlight. Yang took a moment to breathe it all in, having traveled across an ocean and more just to get to this remote part of Mantle. Within she would find the answer she sought- or so she hoped. 

“Almost there,” she said, adjusting the heavy pack over her shoulders. Climbing the mountain with it had almost pushed her past her limit but she’d somehow made it. Now for the hard part. “Hang tight." 

She walked forward, pushing through the gates and trying not to shiver against the cold biting at her. The legends spoke of the terrible rulers of such a desolate land- masters of ice and snow, veritable supernatural beings among mere mortals, capable of bending the gruesome creatures of Grimm to their will. Never had anyone trespassed upon their sacred land and lived to tell the tale, or so the exaggerated stories went. Frankly, Yang hoped there existed a kernel of truth amidst the fabrications. If she had any luck, she’d make it out of this place alive. At present, it seemed her second-to-best case scenario.

The courtyard of the imposing castle seemed almost picturesque, but not in the way she expected. Being from a small island off the coast of Vale, Yang had once only thought of snow and ice like she’d seen in paintings and pictures, which didn’t seem to match up to most of the terrain she’d traversed on her journey. But here, the wind seemed nonexistent, passing over the high walls and hardly touching the icicles suspended from frozen trees, a fountain suspended by the constant chill in the air sitting in the middle, and a path of well worn snow leading around and up to a great sweeping staircase. What it must’ve taken to build this place, if the construction was, in fact, done by mortal hands. Honestly, she could almost believe those tall tales now that she found herself climbing up to oversized double doors that opened of their own accord. 

"Well, that isn’t creepy or anything.” She muttered for her own benefit as she entered the great hall of the ice palace. 

Although she couldn’t see anyone, she could feel the eyes on her, watching her, waiting for her to make the first move. 

“Here goes nothing…” Raising her voice, she called out, the words booming throughout the castle. “My name is Yang Xiao Long of Patch! I’m here looking for the Ice Queen!" 

What response she expected, she honestly couldn’t say as her voice echoed through the halls… but the Atlesian beowolves materializing out of seemingly nowhere  _wasn’t_  it.

The vast majority sported the white and blue coloring while some looked like Valen and Mistrali with blue and red surrounding the white bones, and others more the black sort that seemed to live all over Remnant. They came storming down the hallways, teeth gnashing, claws scrabbling against the floor, leaving deep gouges in the icy stone, and Yang almost felt her nerve fled her in that moment but she could feel the weight on her back and it steadied her. They flooded into the room, keeping just a bare few feet away from her but encircling her, so only the door behind her- which somehow shut, likely thanks to the alpha beowolves at her back- gave her a side without angry eyes and sharp teeth. 

Surrounded on all sides with no escape, Yang raised her chin and smirked, defiant as ever. "So… is she home?”

“What sort of person would dare trespass here?” A voice- cold as steel and sharper than any blade- rang out, calming the pack around her somewhat. “A martyr or a fool?" 

"Neither or both, depending on your answer,” she replied, lilac eyes finally falling on the tall figure standing at the top of a staircase. 

Skin pale as the shattered moon and hair like snow, the fabled Ice Queen wore an almost military looking uniform, with polished boots up to her thighs and gloves, a layered waistcoat with medals she couldn’t recognize pinned in place. The severe line of the woman’s shoulders and ramrod posture spoke of diligence and unbending will, but the bangs over her right eye seemed almost… shy, if she had to put a word to it. 

Maybe her quest hadn’t been in vain. "I beg a boon of you, Your Majesty.“ 

"How presumptuous of you." 

Knowing words alone wouldn’t do, Yang reached for the straps of her bag, pulling them off her wide shoulders so she could show the Queen her precious cargo, but no sooner had she done so than a sound echoed through the hall, some manner of command that set the beowolves on her in a flash. Claws dug into her jacket, the weight of several beasts jumping on her at the same time taking her to the ground from sheer surprise, and Yang struggled at first- more from alarm as the pack was ripped away from her and hit the ground hard, prompting three distinct yelps of surprised pain. 

"No!” She grit her teeth, eyes flashing red as she glared at the Grimm surrounding her. “Be careful with them!”

Another command- quickly snapped off in no language she could recognize- brought everything to a halt. Yang lay there face down, pinned beneath at least ten beowolves, as the Queen descended the stairs. The pack parted for her, her hand lightly tracing their skulls as she passed, until the bag sat at her feet, squirming slightly with muffled sounds coming from within. 

Cautiously, the Ice Queen knelt down and opened the pack, drawing back when a little ursa poked its head out and blinked up at her. Then, it growled, lips pulling back to reveal rows of tiny teeth, not yet strong enough to snap bone, and raising one little paw to swipe at the Queen. 

“Major!” Yang pushed, lightly tried dislodging the beowolves pinning her down, but couldn’t. “Major, behave!" 

The little ursa looked over at her, confused, but stopped growling at the woman, even allowed itself to be picked up while its two siblings crawled out of the pack. 

"Three baby ursa.” Brilliant blue eyes looked over the one in her hands over before falling on Yang. “How did you come by these little ones?”

“The cabin I live in with my dad and sister is in a forest on Patch. I knew there was an ursa that made its den nearby but I… I needed to gather firewood. I thought I wasn’t close enough to the den but…” She sighed, looking at the floor beneath her as the memory returned. Blind panic and fear tempered only by resolve- and a deadly right hook. “We surprised each other. I only meant to scare it off but… I accidentally killed it. And then I found the den and those little guys and I just- ursas don’t adopt other cubs. If I’d left them there…" 

"They would’ve been killed or succumbed to hunger.” The Queen nodded, chuckling as Major batted at her hand. “So you brought them here?" 

"The legends say that this is the only place in Remnant where Grimm are revered rather than hunted,” she said, watching as the other two cubs began stumbling around, exploring. “And beowolves will adopt pups. I thought maybe… cubs aren’t that different, right? They could be safe here." 

The Ice Queen hummed, turning her head to call over her shoulder. "Longfang, Bloodmaw, Soulcollector, come!”

Three behemoth, ancient alphas lumbered into view, their bone plates marked and gouged, a clear sign these Grimm had survived years in the wild before becoming the elders of the pack. The others shuffled aside, allowing the trio to approach the Queen unimpeded, until the largest and eldest of them could push its snout into Major’s tummy, snuffling at it before licking the cub. The other two checked out the other cubs, though the smallest whined and shrank away from the gigantic creature. 

“Minor, it’s okay. Look at Major and Media- they’re okay,” Yang said, struggling to try and comfort the cubs but unable to move still. “You’ll be fine, it’s okay." 

Minor- runt of the three cubs- still cried out but didn’t squirm as bad when the beowolf came close again. 

"Be careful, Bloodmaw. He’s not like your pups; you must be gentle.” Yang’s brows furrowed. 

“Bloodmaw be gentle- now  _that’s_  something you don’t hear every day." 

"She’s a sweetheart, honestly, but the names scare away those with weak constitutions.” The Ice Queen handed off Major to Longfang and turned her attention to the blonde. “Now… you must realize I can’t let you live.”

“I figured you’d say something like that.” With a grunt, she managed to get a knee under herself, forcing back a few beowolves. “And I guess that’s what I get. I made a mistake and I tried to make it right.” Forcing herself to her feet, a few claws tearing past her jacket and into her skin to leave angry red welts she could feel swelling and stinging from the cold. “I don’t want to repeat that mistake… but I will go down swinging, I promise you that.” Her eyes went over to the cubs. “But they don’t need to see this." 

"A martyr and a fool.” She smiled then, apparently amused by the defiance Yang exuded. “Interesting.” Reaching out, she ran her fingers along Media’s bone plate, trying to calm the cub as it squirmed, alarmed by the apparent danger surrounding the woman. “You’re free to go.”

Yang blinked. “Uh… what?" 

"You crossed half of Remnant with three small cubs. To do that, you must’ve managed to keep your secret and protect them from everyone who would rather see them dead. I doubt you’d be so foolish as to reveal any secrets you’ve learned and put them in danger now. I hope you’ll defend those secrets with the same passion, Yang Xiao Long of Patch." 

The beowolves backed away, giving her more than enough room to leave the way she’d come. 

"So… that’s it?" 

"Yes.” The Ice Queen turned, waving the pack to return from whence they came while the three elders who now carried the cubs followed her. “Farewell." 

As the Grimm and woman left her there in the hall, Yang could only describe it as a sudden feeling of sheer numbness overcoming her. She could hear the little objections from the cubs, trying to wiggle out of the beowolves’ grasps, but in time they would accept their new home… or so she hoped, anyway. Now, she could turn around and return home.

"Wait,” she said, swallowing back tears she hadn’t expected. After weeks of feeding and caring for the cubs, it just felt wrong to leave them like this. “Can I… say goodbye? Please?" 

The Ice Queen turned, regarding her with that cool gaze. "Would you like to stay for a time? Ensure the cubs take to the pack?" 

Yang didn’t expect that. "Really?" 

"Of course.” She bent down, picking up a beowolf pup that had wandered in at some point, the rest of the litter following close behind. “You’ve been good to them. It’s only natural you’d be reluctant to leave them behind. So, take some time to feel comfortable before returning to your home." 

Looking down, she found a little beowolf had made its way over to her, intent on gnawing on her boot. Bending down, she scooped it up, a small smile forming on her lips. 

"Okay. I… I could probably stay a few days.” Something about the words leaving her mouth, however, gave her a feeling deep in her gut. That ‘days’ would turn to 'weeks’, because she’d grown rather attached to the little ursas, but this would only be temporary for her. That’s what she told herself, anyway. “Thank you, Your Majesty." 

"You may call me Winter,” she replied, a quick shadow passing over her expression. “I’ll introduce you to the others later. For now, let’s see how the ursas do with the others." 

Yang followed the Ice Queen into the castle, surrounded by beowolves and beginning to catch sight of even more Grimm lingering in the wings.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm leaving this one as in progress for now- there's more, I just can't seem to find it at present- but I'm not sure when the next update will be. Expect a lot of fluff.


End file.
